Twist the Bones and Bend the Back
by Eponine Everdeen42
Summary: What if Thackery had a loyal friend who secretly followed him to the sisters' hut? This is the story (Psh, more like plot bunny) of Elizabeth Dee, who would rather die than be separated from her friends, and can be very troublesome, especially to three witches. Rated T for character death. Flames are welcome, because it's just a crappy plot bunny that wouldn't stop bugging me.


Twist the Bones and Bend the Back

Chapter One

"_Twist the bones and bend the back," _whispered the first hag, waving her gnarly fingers at him.

"_It-ip-a copita Melaka mystica," _the others murmured, swaying back and forth.

Thackery stood there, weak, afraid. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"_Trim him of his baby fat," _Winifred muttered again, a gleeful grin on her hideous face.

"_It-ip-a copita Melaka mystica."_

"Thackery," I whispered. "Thackery Binx, don't you dare allow them to jinx thee. I will kill thee if thou does." The words didn't do any good. Thackery started shaking in pain. Tears sprang to my eyes and I squashed them down. I started tugging at my dress corner, caught in a chink in the wall. If Thackery couldn't get out of the way, I'd get him out.

"_Give him fur as black as black, just..."_

"_Like..." _Mary, the plump one, was grinning too.

"_Thisssssss!" _All three began to hiss, holding out their hands to him. Thackery moaned and went down. He writhed on the floor, obviously in pain. Then, the oddness started.

His bones rearranged, a horrible sight. Shifting and splitting and moving lumps beneath the skin. Black fur sprouted, his head became smaller... the pained howls became the yowling of a cat...

And where my friend Thackery Binx had once stood, there sat a thin black cat.

"No." I blanched, and my knees started wobbling, buckling together. "No no no no no no no."

The blonde one, Sarah, reached out to touch the cat, then screamed and jumped back when he hissed at her. The others cackled.

Finally I ripped my dress free. And then everything seemed to blank out.

"Thou art _terrible, horrible monsters of Satan!" _I screamed, scrabbling out from under the table and raising my hand to slap one, certainly the younger blonde one, for she seemed the most defenceless and easy to hit.

I brought my hand down with as much force as I could muster. Sarah flinched.

""Do not strike my sister!" A searing pain shot through my hand, and I dropped it helplessly.

"You meddlesome child, you've followed us," Winifred reproached, glaring menacingly. "I think this child should suffer the consequences," she said to the others.

"Oh! Yes, sister!" they cried happily.

"What is your name, child?"

"I will never tell the likes of thee."

"Thou art so troublesome," Winifred tsked.

"Very troublesome," simpered Mary, edging closer to Winifred. "Can I...?"

"No!" said the redhead sharply.

"I wanna..." started Sarah in her breathy voice.

"No! I have a much better idea." Winifred held out her hands. "Come to mummy, dear." Once again the eyed book flew into her outstretched mitts. "Let's see," she murmured, flipping through it.

"Can't we do what we did to the itty bitty boy?" Sarah pleaded.

"No. I have a better idea."

I started to creepy away while they were absorbed in their grotesque book, but Mary snatched my sleeve.

Winifred snapped the book shut with a smile plastered across her face. "Of course." She turned to me. "Since thou would rather die than be separated from thy _dearest love_..."

"I never said he was my dearest love," I cut in, blushing.

"Nonetheless, we would only be doing thee a favour if we performed the same spell on you. So..." She gathered her sisters around her. "Remember, number fifteen."

"_Clog the throat and stop the heart."_

"_Anama gikila whitila fistima!"_

"_Make the wretched soul depart."_

The others repeated their words.

_Thackery, _I thought. _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. _Thackery looked at me with bright green eyes. He seemed to be saying, _It will be okay. _Then he leapt out the window.

"_Make the skin as cold as the heart."_

"_Kill..."_

"_The..."_

"_Child!"_

Pain. Pain. That was all that I knew.

"I...Hate...Thee!" I spat.

"I'm so surprised," Winifred retorted. She turned to her sisters. "Come, let us go."

Shaking, I sank to the ground. My stomach lurched, and I vomited. My heart felt as though someone were squeezing it as hard as they could. Sweat beaded on my forehead.

_Thackery, _I thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX

"Three children have perished tonight!" cried the pastor. "And all by the hand of the Sanderson sisters, now hanged, and dead. We must comfort their families!"

"Amen!" yelled a man.

"Thackery and Emily Binx!"

A young woman burst into tears.

"And Elizabeth Dee!"

Another woman sobbed.

A large painting was presented, and hung upon the church wall.

Three children- two teenagers, one younger- were lying in a bed of roses with folded hands.

Thackery was wearing his usual garb, surrounded with rosemary. Emily was wearing her white dress and bonnet, trimmed with flowers. Roses lay on her bare feet.

Elizabeth was wearing a black frock trimmed with white, with no bonnet at all over her brown curls. Lilies were at her feet.

"May their souls rest in peace," the pastor intoned.

_Come little children,_

_I'll take thee away!_

_Into a land of enchantment._

_Come little children,_

_The time's come to play!_

_Here in my garden of shadows._

_Here is a farm- boy,_

_Strong was his love!_

_His sister the reason for life._

_And this young farm-boy,_

_The young Thackery!_

_Called into Heaven sweetly._

_Here is a small girl,_

_With innocence sweet!_

_No, nothing could take all her happiness._

_Yet this Emily,_

_She died in agony!_

_And is surrounded by angels in Heaven._

_Here is a bold girl,_

_With such bravery!_

_Rescuing our dear farm-boy._

_But young Elizabeth,_

_She vanished with him!_

_And is greeted in heaven by God._

_Come little children,_

_Take heed of my words!_

_Do not become lost in the shadows._

_Shun the sweetmeats,_

_Ignore the siren song!_

_And live your life in full._


End file.
